On Friday, February 3, we explore facing fears … what we learn when we conquer them, and when they conquer us.

Please join us at our usual time and place: 7:30 p.m., CTN5 Studio, 516 Congress Street, Portland.  $5 at the door.

Community Television 5 — Portland Playback’s new home at 516 Congress Street — featured the company in a new series about Portland’s art scene.  Go to the last seven minutes of the video to hear interviews from company members about the work we do, and witness our creative process behind the scenes.

In September, Portland Playback was honored to be able to perform at TEDx Dirigo: Latitudes conference (Maine’s own version of the TED talks).  Here is video from the performance, where we talk about the power of story and improvisation, and play back some stories and feelings from this very powerful day.

Kicking off the new year, January’s First Friday theme is “The Unexpected.” Out-of-the blue letters, calls, visits. Unpredicted failures and unforeseen windfalls. Miracles, reversals. One door closes, another opens. Suddenly we’re traveling in a whole new direction. A totally unexpected fork in the road leads to new vistas. An idea dawns or someone enters your life and everything changes.

This Friday’s Actors: Bob Bittenbender, Margi Huber, Sandra Sneiderman, Andy Colvin and Erin Curran.

Friday, (January 6) at 7:30 PM at CTN (516 Congress Street, right next to the Maine College of Art). Bring a story, or just come to enjoy this unique community event. You’ll be glad you did.

Greetings Friends of Playback!

Our First Friday theme for November 4 is “Dancing with Mother Nature.” How has nature figured into your life? As a sanctuary in times of stress? As an adversary, a deadly foe? Come and share your story and let us play it back! Or just come to witness this important community event!

PORTLAND PLAYBACK THEATRE is now in its sixth year and has ennacted hundreds of audience stories.

This uniquely satisfying community event happens EVERY FIRST FRIDAY at our new location of CTN5 at 516 Congress St., right next to MECA.

Friday, November 4 at 7:30 PM. Bring a friend! Just $5 at the door. No reservations.

Channel 6 interviews company member Marcia Pitcher about the dead Portlanders we’ll be bringing back to life in Eastern Cemetery on Thursday, Friday and Saturday (Oct. 20-22) from 6:30-7:30.

For the second straight year, Portland Playback is partnering with Spirits Alive to bring some of Portland’s historic ghosts back to life.

Join us for an evening walk through Eastern Cemetery and listen to them recall tales of their lives in Portland–and deaths on the high seas.  This year, selected spirits were taken in tragic shipwrecks.  They come from the past and the briny deep to bring you a message.  What is it?  You’ll have to walk among the shadows to find out.

Actors from Portland Playback will be channeling these spirits October 20, 21, and 22 (Thursday, Friday, Saturday) from 6:30-7:30.  Tours leave every 15 minutes; $10 at the gate, and $5 for kids under 12.  Proceeds go to preserve Eastern Cemetery.

Get more information at www.spiritsalive.org.

Portland Playback Theatre Co. is delighted to announce our participation in bringing to life some very interesting characters stitched into the history of Yarmouth Maine.  We are the recipients of a grant from Yarmouth Arts to re-enact some of the stories found in Yarmouth’s historical houses and places.

Find out about Thomas Greene – first Baptist minister – who moolighted as Yarmouth’s physician, And who murdered Margaret Williams and why did it take so long to solve that mystery? And why did Henry Haley hang himself from the mill tower? Come for a tour and treats October 29th and 30th!

Find out about getting tickets here. 

Dear friends of Portland Playback,

Our First Friday theme for October 7 is Facing Fear. Our internal alarm system serves us well, but sometimes fear itself is our greatest challenge. As a matter of cold fact, Fear, with a capital F, may be the most fundamental emotional background of what we are as human beings.

Do you have a story of a time when fear was front and center? We bet you do. Come and share your story – or just come to witness.

Portland Playback Theatre is now in its sixth year and has “played back” hundreds of stories. If you haven’t had your story improvisationally enacted you’re really missing something!

Friday, October 7, 7:30 PM at CTN5, right next to MECA, at 516 Congress Street.

$5 at the door

Greetings Playback Fans!
It is so much fun being in our new space at 516 Congress Street, CTN5, right next to MECA. August 5th’s First Friday theme is “Dating Stories from Heaven and Hell.” My personal worst was a date with an angry coed, when we went to see a harpsichordist who kept complaining of a terrible toothache. It was a very tinny, painful experience. But I bet you can top that. Now my dream date, well….
If you haven’t had one of your stories played back yet, you’re really missing something. Come on in! Bring a friend! 7:30 PM, Friday August 5th.